This guide will use the Pidgin universal chat client, but the general instructions should apply to just about any chat/irc client. Pidgin is completely free and will work on Windows, Linux, or Mac.

Here is the relevant info for the IRC savvy.

Server = chat.freenode.net

Channel = #fanart.tv

More information and references will be at the end of this guide, but for now we'll jump right in.

1. Download Pidgin for your platform. When it's installed and open, you will have 2 windows:

Buddy List

Conversation Window (title of window changes depending on what tab is open)

2. Set up Account

In the Buddy List window, go to..

Accounts > Manage Accounts > Add

Select IRC from the Protocol Dropdown

Input the username you want

Input chat.freenode.net as the server

Save and close

3. Make #fanart.tv channel a favorite

In the Buddy List window, go to..

Buddies > Add Chat

Select the freenode account you just created (if not already selected)

Insert #fanart.tv as the channel

Optional – Enable Autojoin when account connects

Click Add Button (Now this channel will be added to your Buddy List)

4. Join the chat

Double Click on the fanart.tv favorite you just made in your Buddy List or…

Buddies > Join a Chat in the Buddy List Window or Conversation > Join a Chat in the Conversation Window.

(Make sure to set the server to chat.freenode.net and the channel to #fanart.tv)

This will open a new conversation tab in the conversation window and you can now start chatting. All of the other tabs are server messages and can be ignored for now. To clear the clutter you can R-Click on the #fanart.tv tab and choose Close Other Tabs.

What's Next?

Well if you intend on joining often and don't want someone else to get your nickname, you should register with the server. This will protect your nickname for 90 days of inactivity. If you don't log in for more than 90 days, then the nickname becomes available for anyone to use.

To run commands in IRC, you talk to the IRC server. You type into the chat box as normal but you start the command with a special “switch” Most often this is the “/” or sometimes a “.“. So a simple command would look something like this:

Also, it’s good to remember that these commands are not posted to the chat channel for all to see as long as you start the command with a /, so try not to forget So to register your nick, follow the instructions here.

Well that's it for now. Myself or someone else will be happy to help with further questions once you've made it to the channel. As promised, here is some further reading if you are new to IRC and want to learn more.

[list][*]IRC Help (This is pretty much the bible of all things IRC. Peek around or hit the Getting Started link)

If there is enough interest I will write another guide about configuring pidgin to automate some tasks like logging in with credentials, tips on usage, and masking your host.